Railroad trackage



Dec. 10, 1957 J. F. KOVARIK v RAILROAD TRACKAGE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 17. 1953 INVENTOR JERRYEKOVARIK ago 0 m 0 0 0 O O I o 00 o T, H "Hu E E 1.2 L E Hm H U E U I m n n n? F E U E H E 1 m U fi H L OW m H a 5 m I B 5 Dem-10,1957 J. F. KOVARIK I 2,815,917 RAILROAD TRACKAGE Filed Dec. 17, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIGJZ FIG. 8.

FIG; IO

INVENTOR JERRY E KOVARIK RAILROAD TRACKAGE Jerry F. Kovarik, Corona, N. Y.

Application December 17, 1953, Serial No. 398,661

1 Claim. (Cl. 2386) The present invention relates toimprovements in railroad trackage and particularly concerns a novel structure for a railroad bed including means for anchoring train tracks.

In conventional railroads, the train tracks are almost always anchored on wooden ties. These ties in turn are secured by ballast or other suitable means. At periodic intervals the ties must be taken up on account of wear, the adverse effects of weather, etc. and replaced. In laying the ties, they must be carefully set in place, one at a time, and the tracks are then placed on the ties, and secured thereto. Thelabor and material costs in this traditional railroad construction method have risen to such prohibitive'heights that it is often impossible to justify economically the building of new railroads and the proper maintenance of existing railroads.

The present invention is directed to reducing materially the costs of labor and material required to install and maintain railroad trackage. A new trackage construction is proposed in which the track tying means is installed in units long enough. to secure one or more standard lengths of track. The track tying means according to the invention includes a perforated steel track plate with struck up flaps for. securing .tracks thereto. The plate is suitably contoured to conform with and set firmly in trenches in the earth. Sufiicien't perforations are provided to insure adequate resiliency in the plate during use. Cleat plates are provided for connecting together successive lengths of the track tying plates. The apertured plates may be fabricated with any necessary curvature as the railroad route requires. Cover plates are provided according to the invention which straddle spaces between the tracks to provide relatively flat surfaces for automobiles and other vehicles, as well as pedestrians, to cross the tracks in safety. The track tying means is adapted for installation at curved sections, switching locations, right angled intersections, and branched locations.

It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide a track tying means including an apertured plate unit.

It is a further-object to provide a track tying means including track-securing elements integrally formed therein.

It is a further object to provide a track tying means including an apertured, contoured metal plate provided with means for anchoring tracks and for connecting other similar plates in succession thereto.

It is a further object to provide a track tying means whereby tracks may be secured thereto at a point remote from the actual track installation site.

It is a further object to provide a track tying means adaptable for use at track switches and intersections, vehicle crossing locations, curved track locations, and branched track locations.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will become readily apparent from the following description taken together with the drawing wherein:

2 ,3 15,91 7 Patented Dec. 10, 1 957 Fig. l is a plan view of an apertured track tying plate, and plate connecting strip, according to the invention, together with tracks to be installed thereon.

Fig. 2 includes end views of the components of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a track tying assembly according to the invention.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a track tying assembly according to the invention arranged for curved tracks.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a track tying view according to the invention provided with cover plates for a vehicle crossing location.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on lines 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a track tying assembly according to the invention arranged for branched tracks.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a track tying assembly according to the invention arranged for intersecting tracks.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on lines 9 9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a plan view of a track tying assembly according to the invention arranged for a track switching location.

In Figs. 1 and 2 is shown a track plate 10 having a channel 11 formed by twoinclined walls 12 and a flat bottom 14. The plate has two flat parallel sides 15,- each of which has a plurality of alignedflaps 17 struck up in pairs. The flaps of each pair are spaced a distance equal to the width of the base B of track T. In forming the flaps 17, the rectangular apertures 18 are formed in the sides 15. The vertical extent or length of each flap is sufficientto overlap one side of the base B of a track to hold it securely as shown clearly in Fig. 9; At the end of each plate is a plurality of transversely aligned apertures 13 disposed in pairs on the sides 15 and channel bottom 14 for receiving corresponding pins 16of the connecting strips or plates 19. Plate 19 has a channel or groove 11a conforming to the channel 11 of plate 10. Channel walls 12a and 14a conform to walls 12 and 14 in plate 10, and sides 15a conform to sides 15- in plate 10. A plurality of aligned rectangular apertures 20 are provided in the bottom 14 of plate 10 to lighten the structure and increase its resiliency.

In Fig. 3 are shown plates 10 joined end'to end with a small intervening space S by the connecting plates 19. The contour of plate 19 conforms to that of the plates 16. Pins 16 are engaged in apertures 13. Tracks T are disposed between the pairs of flaps 17. In assembling theiseveral units, it is only necessary to fit the plates 10 on the connecting plate 19 with pins 16 engaged in apertures 13. A blow of a hammer is sufi'icient to flatten the top of each pin 16 to hold it securely in engagement with the upper surface of plate 10. Tracks T are laid between the upstanding flaps 17. With hammer blows'the flaps are bent over to secure the track bases securely as shown in Figs. 3 and 9.

In Fig. 4 is shown a trackag e assembly in which a curved section is provided by means of the arched plate 10. The sides 15 and channel 11 correspond to sides 15 and channel 11 in the plates 10 connected to plate 10' by connecting plates 19.

In Figs. 5 and 6 are shown two pairs of tracks T secured on plates 10 as heretofore described. Flat cover plates 21 are disposed between the tracks substantially level with the tops of the tracks. Inclined ends 22 of the cover plates are provided with apertures 13 and are secured by pins 16 of connecting plates 19 which also engage apertures 13 in plates 10. Plate 23 is a cover plate similar to cover plate 21 and has suflicient width to span the distance between the closest tracks of each pair. Plate 23 has inclined ends 22 secured by pins 16 of underlying connecting plates 19. Approach plates 24 are disposed at the outermost tracks in alignment with plates 21, 23. Plates 24 have sides 25 corresponding in height to the plates 21, 23 and inclined sides 26 which rise from ground level to the level of sides 25. Plates 24 have inclined ends 22 secured to underlying plates 19. The trackage assembly of Fig. 5 is intended for Vehicular and pedestrian crossings so that vehicles and pedestrians can cross the tracks at these locations in safety and without hindrance.

In Fig. 7 is shown a trackage assembly arranged for branch tracks T. Track plates 10 are shaped and connected as heretofore described. The curve tracks T' rest on a flat plate 27 which overlies a base plate 10". Plate 10 has apertures 20 and channel 11 but no flaps as in plates 10. The center section 28 of plate 27 is coplanar with sides 15. Center section 28 spans the channel 11 of the base plate 10" which is disposed directly beneath the plate 27. Flat plate 27' is coplanar with plate 27 and overlies a plate 10" beneath. Plate 27' and the plate 10" beneath have obliquely disposed ends 29 abutting the edges 15 of plate 27 and the plate 10" beneath it. Plates 27 and 27' are provided with flaps 17 and apertures 20. The plates 10" underlying plates 27 and 27 correspond in contour to plates 10 but their outer sides are Hat and not struck up to form the flaps 17. Apertures 13 in the ends of plates 27, 27' are engaged by pins of the underlying connecting plates 19. The tracks T' are secured in the flaps 17 of plates 27, 27'v as heretofore described.

In Fig. 8 is shown a trackage assembly for intersecting tracks according to the invention. The substantially square fiat plate 27" is provided in the area of intersection. Plate 27" has a rectangular arrangement of aligned flaps 17. Apertures are provided disposed along the center lines of the plate. Plate 27" overlies a base plate 10" provided with apertures 13 for engaging pins in connecting plates 19 in registry with corresponding apertures in plate 27". Plate 10 has a channel corresponding to channels in two aligned connecting plates 10. No flaps 17 are provided in the flat sides of plate 10".

In Fig. 10 is shown a trackage assembly arranged for a double track switch location. are curved as required. Track sections T are generally V-shaped with one straight arm and one curved arm. Track sections T are joined by straps or tie bars 31, 32. The sections T are pivotable for switching in a conventional manner. Pins 30 passing through apertures in tracks T and attached to the ends of the curved arms of sections T facilitate the pivoting movement. Flat plates 27 underlie the track sections T The flat plates 27 are provided with flaps 17 to secure the tracks at appropriate points. The plates 10" underlie plates 27. These plates have channels 11 corresponding to those in the adjoining plates 10. Plates 19 join the several plates 10, 10", and 27 as heretofore disclosed. Plates 10" have flat sides 15 without flaps underlying the flat sides 15 of plates 27. I

The trackage assemblies described may be assembled at the actual site of installation. The structure is adapted however to preassembly at any remote point such as at a factory. The track assemblies can be prefabricated by attaching the tracks to the appropriate plates 10, 10', 10", 27, 27', 27" as requiredand then transportingthe track assemblies to the site of installation where the assemblies The double tracks T" v will be secured by the connecting plates 19 to adjoining track assemblies.

The channel 11 in the plates 10, 10', 10" insures that the plates seat snugly in a suitable trench in the ground. The plates can be loaded with road ballast such as gravel and the like.

Flaps 17 are adapted to be readily loosened with a crowbar so that worn or damaged tracks can be removed easily and new tracks replaced. The flaps would then be bent back over the bases of the new tracks.

The structure described is inherently more economical in its use of labor and material in both installation and maintenance. The trackage assembly is structurally more rugged and troublefree than other railroad trackage structures heretofore known.

Although only a limited number of embodiments of the invention have been described it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many changes are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

A track assembly, comprising a track plate and'a pair of tracks coextensive in length with said track plate, each of said tracks being provided with a vertically extending web and horizontally extending flanges at the base of said web, said track plate being adapted to support the tracks on a road-bed having a pair of spaced, parallel longitudinally extending shoulders and a trench between said shoulders, said plate being formed with a pair of spaced, parallel longitudinally extending shoulder portions which are adapted to rest upon the shoulders of the road-bed, said plate being also provided with a downwardly bent, channel-shaped portion extending longitudinally thereof and between said shoulder portions, said channel-shaped portion being adapted to rest within said trench, and a plurality of lugs struck upwardly from the shoulder portions of said track plate and bent across and upon the flanges of the tracks to hold said tracks in place on the shoulder portions of said track plate, said track plate being made of sheet metal, a plurality of apertures being formed in its said channel-shaped portion along its full length, and fastening means provided at the ends of said track plate for engagement with the ends of other track plates of like construction to provide a continuous support for the tracks.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 883,063 Ulrich Mar. 24, 1908 7 1,148,051 Rhinesmith July 27, 1915 1,678,079 Reischl July 24, 1928 1,694,313 Dalton Dec. 4, 1928 1,885,244 Freneding et a1 Nov. 1, 1932 2,081,682 Smith May 25, 1937 2,115,108 Horn Apr. 26, 1938 2,347,683 Habel' May 2, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS 153,343 Australia Sept. 23,1953 558,775 Great Britain June 3, 1947 

